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Love Me or Leave Me (Donaldson and Kahn song)
"Love Me or Leave Me" is a U.S. popular song from the 1920s. The music was written by Walter Donaldson and the lyrics by Gus Kahn. The song was introduced in the Broadway play Whoopee!, which opened in December 1928. Ruth Etting's performance of the song was so popular that she was also given the song to sing in the play Simple Simon, which opened in February 1930. Recorded versions Major recorded versions The original version of the song, the biggest-selling at the time, was recorded by Ruth Etting on December 17, 1928. It was issued by Columbia Records as catalog number 1680-D, with the flip side "I'm Bringing a Red, Red Rose," another Donaldson/Kahn composition.Columbia Records in the 1500D to 1999D series The song reached #2 on the charts in 1929. Other versions which also enjoyed popularity at this time were by Guy Lombardo's Royal Canadians, with a vocal by Carmen Lombardo (recorded March 20, 1929, released by Columbia Records as catalog number 1782D, with the flip side "I'm Still Caring") and by Leo Reisman and his orchestra (recorded April 22, 1929, released by Victor Records as catalog number 21966A, with the flip side "Sweet Chewaulka, Land of Sleepy Water"Victor Records in the 21500 to 21999 series). A recording made December 12, 1947 by Bing Crosby and John Scott Trotter's orchestra was released in 1951 by Decca Records as catalog number 27667.Decca Records in the 27500 to 27999 series As the song was considered to be one of Etting's biggest hits, its title was chosen for the 1955 biographical movie about her life, in which Doris Day played Etting. Day's recording of the song, from the soundtrack, became a major hit for her. The same year, Sammy Davis Jr. and Lena Horne also experienced success with their versions of the song. Davis's version was released by Decca Records as catalog number 29484, with the flip side "Something's Gotta Give".Decca Records in the 29000 to 29499 series It first reached the Billboard magazine charts on May 28, 1955 and lasted 12 weeks on the chart. On the Disk Jockey chart, it peaked at #20; on the Best Seller chart, at #12. (However, another source gives the highest position as #9, but lists this as a position for the combined two sides of the record, "Love Me or Leave Me" and "Something's Gotta Give.") Horne's was released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-6073.RCA Victor Records in the 20-6000 to 20-6499 series It reached the Billboard magazine Disk Jockey chart on July 9, 1955, its only week on the chart, at #19. In the United Kingdom, it was released 1955 by HMV Records as catalog number B-309 (78rpm) and 7M-309 (45rpm),.HMV Records in the 7M series Both releases were with the flip side "I Love To Love". Singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone also recorded the song on her debut album Little Girl Blue (1958) and Let It All Out (1966). Simone's version was included on the soundtrack of the film Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss. The version was released as a single in 1959 by Bethlehem Records as catalog number 11021 and by Australian Parlophone Records as catalog number A-8008, with the flip side "I Loves You Porgy".Australian Parlophone Records in the 8000 to 8293 series It also shows Simone's seldom-heard side as a Classical pianist when she played a solo in the style of J.S. Bach's Inventions in the middle of the song. Ella Fitzgerald included her rendition on her 1962 Verve release Ella Swings Brightly with Nelson which won a Grammy Award in 1963. Other recorded versions *The Badgers (released by Broadway Records as catalog number 1285, with the flip side "Rainbow Man"Broadway Records in the 1000 to 1530 series) *Elkie Brooks (released 1984 on Screen Gems) *Earl Burtnett's Biltmore Trio (recorded April 1, 1929, released by Brunswick Records as catalog number 4336, with the flip side "A Garden in the Rain"Brunswick Records in the 4000 to 4499 series) *Perry Como (released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-2662, with the flip side "What'll I Do?"RCA Victor Records in the 20-2500 to 20-2999 series) *Bing Crosby (released on The Bing Crosby CBS Radio Recordings (1954-56)) *Johnny Dankworth - Too Cool For The Blues (2010) *Miles Davis (released on his album Walkin') *Dixieland Swingsters (recorded August 2, 1937, released by Bluebird Records as catalog number 7160, with the flip side "Fiddleobia"Bluebird Records in the 7000 to 7499 series) *Billy Eckstine (released by MGM Records as catalog number 11984, with the flip side "Only You"MGM Records in the 11000 to 11999 series) *Les Elgart and his orchestra (released by Columbia Records as catalog number 40525, with the flip side "When Yuba Plays the Rhumba on the Tuba"Columbia Records in the series) *Chick Endor with Leonard Joy (recorded March 20, 1929, released by Victor Records as catalog number 21922, with the flip side "Good Little, Bad Little You") *Sammy Fain (recorded February 6, 1929, released by Harmony Records as catalog number 843-H, with the flip side "Wedding Bells"Harmony Records in the 500-H to 999-H series) *Anita O'Day (recorded January 31, 1951, released by Verve) *Bryan Ferry (released on As Time Goes By October 25, 1999) *Pat Flowers (released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-2930, with the flip side "Shoe Shine Shuffle") *Erroll Garner (piano solo; recorded February 29, 1952, released by Columbia Records as catalog number 39749, with the flip side "With Every Breath I Take"Columbia Records in the 39500 to 39999 series) *Benny Goodman and his orchestra (recorded December 18, 1933, released by Columbia Records as catalog number 2871-D, with the flip side "Why Couldn't It Be Poor Little Me?";Columbia Records in the 2500-D to 2999-D series re-recorded August 21, 1936, released by Victor Records as catalog number 25406, with the flip side "Exactly Like You"Victor Records in the 25000 to 25499 series) *Teddy Grace (recorded September 1, 1938, released by Decca Records as catalog number 2050B, with the flip side "Crazy Blues"Decca Records in the 2000 to 2499 series) *Bob Haring and his orchestra (recorded April 15, 1929, released by Brunswick Records as catalog number 4342, with the flip side "My Sin") *Edgar Hayes Quintet (recorded September 7, 1937, released by Decca Records as catalog number 1444, with the flip side "So Rare"Decca Records in the 1000 to 1499 series) *Eddie Heywood and his orchestra (recorded February 26, 1944, released by Commodore Records as catalog numbers 577A and 7524, both with the flip side "I Can't Believe that You're in Love with Me"Commodore Records listing) *Billie Holiday (recorded August 7, 1941, released by OKeh Records as catalog number 6369, with the flip side "Jim"OKeh Records in the 6000 to 6499 series) *Olivia Newton-John * Der Herr Kam Über Sie - Love Me Or Leave Me (7") (1986) http://www.discogs.com/Der-Herr-Kam-Über-Sie-Love-Me-Or-Leave-Me/release/1673329 *Frances Langford with Earle Hogen (recorded June 1946, released by Mercury Records as catalog number 3029B, with the flip side "That Wonderful Worrisome Feeling"Mercury Records in the 3000 to 3072 series) *Sam Lanin's Dance Orchestra (recorded June 3, 1929, released by Banner Records as catalog number 6410, with the flip side "Sure Enough Blues",Banner Records in the 6001 to 6567 series and by Domino Records as catalog number 4350Domino Records in the 4000 to 4499 series and Regal Records as catalog number 8805,Regal Records in the 8500 to 8999 series both with the flip side "Ol' Man River"; also released under the name Miami Society Orchestra by Oriole Records as catalog number 1604, with the flip side "Not for a Day but Forever"Oriole Records in the 1500 to 1999 series and by Jewel Records as catalog number 5628, with the flip side "Sure Enough Blues";Jewel Records in the 5500 to 5999 series also released under the name Mills Merry Makers by Lincoln Records as catalog number 3168Lincoln Records in the 3000 to 3395 series and by Romeo Records as catalog number 943,Romeo Records in the 500 to 999 series both with the flip side "I'm Lonely Since You Went Away") * Peggy Lee recorded a version on her album Black Coffee. *Virginia Lee (recorded February 16, 1929, released by Gennett Records as catalog number 6773, with the flip side "That's the Good Old Sunny South"Gennett Records in the 6500 to 6999 series) *Henry Levin's Dixieland Octet (recorded August 11, 1941, released by Bluebird Records as catalog number 11278, with the flip side "All Alone"Bluebird Records in the 11000 to 11499 series) *Majestic Dance Orchestra (H. Salter, leader) (vocal: A. Lawrence; recorded April 1929, released by Pathé Records as catalog number 36978Pathé Records in the 36500 to 37089 series and by Perfect Records as catalog number 15159,Perfect Records in the 15000 to 15499 series both with the flip side "I'm Just a Vagabond Lover") *Mel and Stan (recorded September 1947, released by Majestic Records as catalog number 11030, with the flip side "Mother's Only Sleeping"Majestic Records listing) * Jane Monheit recorded a version on her album Taking a Chance on Love. *Ella Mae Morse (released by Capitol Records as catalog number 1922, with the flip side "Blacksmith Blues"Capitol Records in the 1500 to 1999 series) *Jimmie Noone's Apex Club Orchestra (recorded April 27, 1929, released by Supertone Records as catalog number 2254Supertone Records in the 2000 to 2263 series and by Vocalion Records as catalog number 1272,Vocalion Records in the 1000 to 1499 series both with the flip side "Wake Up, Chill'un, Wake Up") *Jimmie Osborne (released by King Records as catalog number 1012, with the flip side "It's Me Who Has To Suffer"King Records in the 1000 to 1496 series) *Chuck Penny (released by Tops in Music Records as catalog number 109, with the flip side "Gimme, Gimme All the Time"Tops in Music Records listing *Hazel Scott (recorded October 1947, released by Columbia Records as catalog number 37996, with the flip side "Soon"Columbia Records in the 37500 to 37999 series) *Lee Sims (piano solo; recorded June 1929, released by Brunswick Records as catalog number 4422, with the flip side "Lover, Come Back to Me!") *Bill Staffon and his orchestra (recorded August 1, 1935, released by Bluebird Records as catalog number 6082, with the flip side "White Star of Sigma Nu"Bluebird Records in the 6000 to 6499 series) * Rod Stewart - Fly Me To The Moon ... The Great American Songbook - Volume V (2010) *Cal Tjader (recorded October 21, 1953, released by Savoy Records as catalog number 1117, with the flip side "Tangerine"Savoy Records in the 1100 to 1199 series) *The Top Bananas, contemporary Brighton-based stilt swing bandhttp://www.thetopbananas.net *Sarah Vaughan with Ted Dale Orchestra (released by Musicraft Records as catalog number 539, with the flip side "Gentleman Friend"Musicraft Records in the 200 to 597 series) *John Vincent's Californians (recorded June 3, 1929, released by Conqueror Records as catalog number 7369, with the flip side "Ol' Man River"Conqueror Records in the 7000 to 7499 series) *Thomas "Fats" Waller (piano solo; recorded August 2, 1929, released by Bluebird Records as catalog number 10263, with the flip side "Valentine Stomp"Bluebird Records in the 10000 to 10499 series and by Victor Records as catalog number 22092, with the flip side "I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling"Victor Records in the 22000 to 22499 series) *Ted Weems and his orchestra (vocal: Snooky Lanson; recorded March 1949, released by Mercury Records as catalog number 5305, with the flip side "Sleepy Hollow"Mercury Records in the 5000 to 5497 series) *The Youth (released 1969 by Deram Records (United Kingdom) as catalog number 226, with the flip side "Meadow of My Love "Deram Records (UK) listing References Category:Songs